DCB has been with me since he turned 2. He is now 3.5

He used to come in EVERY morning and say good bye and start playing with his friends.

Monday mom dropped off...she usually doesn't....and he cried for half an hour. Every since that day when dad drops off he has been crying for at least half an hour.

Dad and mom are NOT separated or divorced and they are GREAT parents.

This morning dad was on his way out and turned around and came back because he heard DCB crying.

I have no idea what has happened. He clearly wants to be here. But this crying EVERY morning is disruptive and causes others to get upset too.

I need some help

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I would say it is a phase. I have had many kids go through it.

At least you don't have parents that will actually STAY until their daughter is in tears over having to stay. I have a drop in child that dad brings her 99% of the time and the mom has told me that he hates when he brings her and she's happy to be here and doesn't mind him leaving! I try as polietly as I can to tell him to leave, but sometimes it just doesn't work!

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I usually try to call or email the parents later on to reassure them that their child quickly recovered. I have sent pics to prove it
I am also pretty honest with parents about those types of phases and how the least attention paid to it, the sooner they typically end.
I would have a cozy spot set up for the boy when he comes in. He can join the group when he's ready. Usually I make sure we are doing an activity I know they will like and want to join, which shortens the crying time.
Good Luck!

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It is either a phase, or the parents could be very busy and not spending as much time with him, or it could be that he sees the attention that he gets from it, so he continues.

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I always send a picture text and say, "I'm having so much playing with ___ now!" and the parents always send an appreciative text back or an admiring text saying, "Awww, he/she is going to have such a fun day!" or something to that extent.

I also do not take over until the parent has left so if they are going to sit there while their child cries then they will be sitting there alone. I had a child come in today and throw a huge fit for about 10 minutes. The parent would place them on the other side of the gate and let go, and then pick them back up again. Over and over this happened while I was conducting a math lesson 2 rooms over (we could see). The child came on in as fine as could be when it eventually ended and told me, "My Dad was misbehaving and wouldn't let me go play with sand." It was over something that happened before coming here and the 4-year-old didn't like it.

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I have most definately had this happen many times. When it gets this bad at first I will tell the parent that it's not going to make it better to sit there and console the child, so they need to let me handle it and go to work. Sometimes I will take a pic or send a text showing the child happy typically within 15 minutes. If this doesn't work after awhile, then I talk to the parent and do what I call the "football pass" at the door. This is when I open the door, take the child quickly and close the door. Literally 10 seconds and the child is in, the door is closed and the parent goes to work. Doing that for the most 2 weeks typically cures it. No attention is given. If find the more attention the child gets, the worse it gets.

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I have that boy and his parents. I too think its a phase. So now I make drop off quick.

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i completely think it's a phase.. my son will be 3 next month and a couple months ago started asking me to stay with him almost everytime i drop him off ... it's heartbreaking..but i have to leave nonetheless... i don't want him to grow up dependent on me being there for his happiness

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I know it is a phase. I was more concerned about the parents thinking something has changed at daycare.

I sent a text showing DCB having a great time with his friends and reassuring dad that he was fine shortly after he left (about 20 min really).

I will encourage quick good byes at drop off and will have a nice chat with DCD this afternoon.

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along with the picture text or email, I would be telling parents that they need to do their goodbyes outside before coming in and be sure to prep dcb.


Have daddy tell the child I am going to help you get your shoes off, sign you in and give you a hug good bye once we get inside. Then daddy needs to follow through.

I have one that just started this as well and this is how we resolved it. My dck has a little sister that just started walking, had a first bday and I think DCK sees that he has to share the lime light now....... For once everything is not about him anymore and he is really feeling it. The little sis gets to stay home with grannie while dck comes here....;(

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